Ryan Dilbert's 10-Count: Becky Lynch Increasingly Looking Like Top-Tier Babyface

1. Becky Lynch Surging Upward

WWE fans are witnessing a fascinating transformation as Lynch morphs from also-ran to division centerpiece. 

The women's division is undergoing a shakeup courtesy of Lynch. While it seemed clear that others would occupy the throne, the Irish spark plug has been busy clawing, kicking and battling her way to that spot. 

Lynch has been wrestling and talking like a No. 1 babyface. WWE is going to have to change its plans accordingly.

Credit: WWE.com

In a scathing promo, Paige once called Lynch "the least relevant of all of us." That barb cut deep because it was partially true. The buzz belonged to Sasha Banks and Charlotte, to Nikki Bella and Paige. The background swallowed up Lynch.  

She barely had time with a mic in hand. She was a faceless figure in the crowd as a result.

Her splintering partnership with Charlotte has changed that. The feud has allowed her to show how much she can get an audience to invest. It has allowed her character to grow more complex.

She's fiery, focused and a warrior who has traveled countless miles to get to this stage. Over the past few weeks, WWE has more clearly presented her in that way. And she has nailed her opportunities.

On last week's SmackDown, she and Charlotte had the best match on either Raw or SmackDown. It furthered animosity between the enemies while allowing us to watch Lynch get her heart broken as she failed to claim the Divas Championship.

She followed that up with a stellar promo on Monday's Raw, where she promised to take both Charlotte's championship and her arm.

Her hunger for revenge was hugely convincing. Her intensity popped onscreen. 

She looked like she was for real.

And suddenly, WWE has itself multiple options for the division's top stars. Lynch has made what could have been a transitional rivalry into the best one since WWE started tossing around the "Divas Revolution" phrase.

Lynch can be what Bayley has been to NXT—a scrappy workhorse babyface who makes it easy to connect with her journey.

As much as Charlotte, Paige and Banks have shown themselves to be pillars of the division, Lynch is making sure WWE has to find a prominent place for her, too.

2. Kings of the Battle Royal

The Superstar who most often fought his way to victory in WWE Battle Royals will surprise you. While giants such as Big Show and Mark Henry have been the last man standing a number of times, it's a perpetual underdog who has four Battle Royal wins on his resume.

Current Superstars with at least three wins in a Battle Royal:

• Zack Ryder: Tag Team (with Brian Major) 2007, ECW Championship No. 1 Contendership (2009), United States Championship No. 1 Contendership (2012), Great American Bash (2012)
• Sheamus: Breakthrough Battle Royal (2009), Royal Rumble (2012), United States Championship (2014)
• Randy Orton: Six Man Battle Royal (2009), Royal Rumble (2009), World Heavyweight Championship No. 1 Contendership (2011), 
• Big Show: Royal Rumble Qualifying (2006), WWE vs. ECW (2006), Andre the Giant Memorial (2015)
• Mark Henry: Monster Mash (2007), 15 Man (2010), World Heavyweight Championship No. 1 Contendership (2011)

Ryder fans shouldn't have false hope about his Royal Rumble chances, though.

None of his wins were hugely significant. It seems when the stakes are low, WWE doesn't mind going with a dark horse like Ryder. Come Rumble time, however, only the warriors on the top tier get their names called.

3. Throwback Video of the Week: Blade Runner Sting 

As WWE announced on Monday, Sting is set to enter the Hall of Fame following his old tag team partner's lead.

Sting and Ultimate Warrior first broke out at the same time as The Blade Runners. Blade Runner Sting and Blade Runner Rock (Warrior's alias at the time) stormed into the Universal Wrestling Federation in 1985.

Their dismantling of two jobbers in this clip showed just a flash of Sting's potential. One might have assumed that he would be just another bodybuilder-turned-wrestler. He instead proceeded to carve out a Hall of Fame career over the next three decades.

4. Daniel Bryan Focused on Return

There's still no word on whether WWE will clear Bryan. There's been no update on whether he's headed for retirement or a return to the ring.

Bryan, though, made it clear on Instagram what he intends to do:

He wrote, "Will I return to the ring? No matter what anyone says, I keep training like the answer will be #YesYesYes." Here's hoping that Bryan gets his wish. He is sorely missed between the ropes.

5. Anticipation the Main Roster Cannot Create

After two "best of 2015" episodes, it's almost time for some new NXT action.

The NXT faithful have to be frothing with anticipation to see Sami Zayn, Finn Balor and Bayley back in action. This break makes one extra appreciative of the developmental brand. Weeks away makes the heart grow fonder in this case.

That doesn't happen with WWE proper. There is no break. SmackDown follows Raw and Raw follows SmackDown in an endless cycle all year.

Just a short break like NXT took would be both a way to let wrestlers give their bodies a break and allow the audience to grow hungry to see WWE action again. 

6.  League of Nations Already Dismantled?

Is WWE's League of Nations going the way of the real-life League of Nations and disbanding?

Credit: WWE.com

It certainly looks that way. Rusev and Barrett did not show up on Monday's Raw or last week's SmackDown. Sheamus didn't accompany Alberto Del Rio to the ring for his U.S. title match.

There has been little mention of the group, the faction perhaps just fading from existence shortly after its inception.

If WWE is really ending the group, that's an odd move. It stuck with Los Matadores and 3MB for longer than it did this foursome.

And why not make more of a bigger deal about the group's going kaput? There's a chance with a breakup to put over a babyface who tears them apart or jettison one of the heels forward after he devours his own stable and moves on.

7. Ethan Carter III, Improvisational Composer

ECIII continues to flourish as a nose-in-the-air heel. Since joining TNA, he has discovered his voice and found his ideal persona. He is often the most entertaining part of Impact Wrestling.

He delivered yet another entertaining moment on the most recent edition of the show.

ECIII issued an open challenge, daring anyone to face Jeff Hardy. When Shynron of Chikara showed up, Carter sang an impromptu entrance theme for him.

When Carter was still Derrick Bateman in WWE's developmental system, he didn't engage nearly as much as that. Then again, that could well be more of an issue of lack of opportunity than anything else.

8. Reflecting on Flair

Ric Flair chatting with Steve Austin on Stone Cold's podcast on Monday night had to bring up a wave of memories for some fans. Younger members of the WWE Universe, though, may not know what he looked like in his prime.

His swansong against Shawn Michaels was a classic, but The Nature's Boy best came during the late '80s and early '90s. For those unfamiliar with why Austin and others have repeatedly called Flair the greatest wrestler to ever lace up a pair of boots, be sure to check out these bouts:

• Ric Flair vs. Barry Windham: Battle of the Belts 2
• Ric Flair vs. Sting: Clash of the Champions I
• Ric Flair vs. Ricky Steamboat: WrestleWar 1989
• Ric Flair vs. Terry Funk: Clash of the Champions IX (I Quit)
• Ric Flair vs. Vader: Starrcade 1993

Flair was the master of bringing out his opponents' best. Windham hit his peak in the ring with Flair. So many of Sting's defining moments came against The Dirtiest Player in the Game. 

Credit: WWE.com

It didn't matter if it was Ron Garvin or Lex Luger in there with him, Flair made his foes look as good as they would ever look.

9. Key to Kalisto's Rise

Buzz surrounded Kalisto after he won the United States Championship on Monday's Raw, stunning Alberto Del Rio with the upset.

As exciting a move as that was, WWE has some work ahead of it to make Kalisto a compelling singles star. We know little about him. His promos have been painfully vanilla thus far. 

Jason Powell summed up the issue on ProWrestling.net. He wrote, "It's good to see Kalisto get some mic time, but I didn't come away feeling anything for his character."

WWE needs to borrow from Lucha Underground's playbook and produce some vignettes for him that give him an intriguing backstory. He has to be more than just an underdog; he needs to be a superhero, too. As of now, he just feels like a retread of Rey Mysterio.

10. O'Brien on Wyatt

Fans light Bray Wyatt's way to the ring with their phones. They sing along with him. They rumble with excitement when he and his family push back against The Authority or stand nose to nose with The League of Nations.

With all that in mind, Paul O'Brien, author of the wrestling-centered mystery series Blood Red Turns Dollar Green, asked a pertinent question:

"

Why is @WWEBrayWyatt not a HUGE babyface? #RAW

— Paul O'Brien (@tweetpaulobrien) January 12, 2016"

Turning Wyatt face would be a smart, opportunistic move. It's one WWE should make by the end of the year.

The audience keeps telling the company that's just the change it wants to see.

Match statistics courtesy of CageMatch.net.